This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Tonneau covers can be used to cover the cargo box of a pickup truck to protect cargo therein, to prevent dirt, debris and other environmental contaminants from entering the cargo box, and to improve the aesthetic quality of the cargo box and truck. Such tonneau covers can be coupled to the side wall of the pick-up truck by a clamp extending downwardly from the tonneau cover that can be positioned to engage a downwardly extending flange or other portion of the side wall in a locked position.
Such tonneau cover clamps must be rotated or otherwise positioned with respect to the downwardly extending side wall flange while in an unclamped configuration. The overall unclamped rigid length of some clamps is typically so large that cargo within the cargo box can interfere with, or even prevent, the proper positioning of the clamp. After proper positioning, the clamp must be moved from its unclamped configuration to a clamped configuration. During such movement, the overall intermediate rigid length of some clamps can be so large that cargo within the cargo box can interfere with or prevent movement of the clamp into the clamped configuration.
In the clamped configuration, the overall clamped rigid length of some clamps typically extends appreciably below the lower edge of the downwardly extending flange and into the cargo box. As a result, the clamp can engage cargo within the cargo box which can interfere with cargo insertion or removal. In addition, in-transit movement of cargo can result in unwanted engagement of the cargo with the clamp. In extreme cases, cargo and clamp engagement could potentially result in damage to any of the cargo, clamp, tonneau cover and/or the truck side wall.
As one example, a spring clamp typically includes a rigid grasping handle that contributes significantly to the overall rigid length of such clamps. In addition, such rigid grasping handles result in rigid members of the clamp extending appreciably below the lower edge of the downwardly extending flange and into the cargo box in the clamped configuration. Applicant has identified and minimized such problems by limiting at least one of the overall unclamped, intermediate, and clamped rigid lengths, and the distance rigid elements, such as a rigid grasping handle, extends below the lower edge of the downwardly extending side wall flange.